Many present day tattoos involve small, intricate designs. Additionally, medical and dental procedures are often performed on small areas on the body. Operators presently rely on lighting sources, such as adjustable lamps, that often are large, awkward to move, require constant adjustment, and thus do not provide the optimal amount of light in the necessary locations, as is desired and necessary. Such a lighting source, because of its proximity to the subject, can cast shadows over the area where an operator is working which can adversely affect the operator's performance.
Additionally, in most cases this type of lighting source is lit with a standard 60 to 120 watt light bulb to provide ample lighting. However, the operator is now subjecting himself to over-exposure to bright light bulbs in order to remove shadows in the area where a subject is being examined. Additionally, higher wattage bulbs create excessive heat to both the operator and to the subject.
In particular, tattoos are applied by perforating the skin of a subject in a predetermined pattern with a needle and introducing one or more colored pigments into the perforations. Modern tattooing is performed using a tattoo instrument or tattoo machine comprised of a needle holder to hold the tattooing needle, an electric motor or other means, e.g., a solenoid, to rapidly reciprocate the needle, a power cord connection point which connects the power cord to the tattoo machine, a power source, a needle grip tube housing, and in many cases an adjustable grip which mounts to the grip tube housing by means of adjustable set screws.
Many present day tattoo assemblies use simple “L” shaped clips and a tension spring, both on one end of a power cord, to make a conductive connection to the tattoo machine. This cord in turn connects to a power source or foot-peddle to manually determine the electric current flowing to the tattoo machine, and therefore adjust the rate of speed by which the needle moves. This cord is made up of a standard copper wire of varying gauges that can safely manage the electrical current.
Additionally, operators presently rely on their capability to perform in an efficient work area. Certain accessories that can be utilized by an operator during the tattooing process, by their very design, do not provide for a convenient form of connection to the power cord. This can adversely affect the ability of an operator to provide consistently efficient work for consumers. Additionally, this inefficient capability to connect to the power cord could affect the life cycle of those accessories, causing unnecessary wear and tear to the accessory.
Thus, there remains a need for a new and improved way to light the area in a way that is compact, reduces shadows, and does not generate excessive heat transferred to either the subject or the operator. Additionally, there remains a need for a new and improved way to operate and provide power to accessories during use by the operator that is both efficient and reduces unnecessary wear and tear on accessories.